I have slowly upgraded to sram red (10 speed), except for the cassette. I am frustrated by the lack of options for the red cassette. I am getting close to 60 years old and I don't ever use a 11 size cog. I would prefer a 12 - 26 or a 12 - 28. Currently using force level cassette. I did notice that sram offers a red cassette for cross bikes in a 12-27 with no elastomers between the cogs. Has anyone tried this on a road bike? Is it noisy? Has anyone tried to install elastomers on a sram red-level cross cassette?

Last edited by Rbk on Tue Dec 10, 2013 4:59 am, edited 2 times in total.

Why in the world would anybody ever prefer a 12T to 11T? I've never heard anybody complain about having too hard of a gear while going downhill, but I've definitely had guys get dropped because of the 53x12.

Well, I'm with the OP on this. I'm a sram fanboy since i first rode with their gripshift and ESP (Extra Sensory Perception) rear derailleur. That was at least ten years ago. The cassettes they make actually work. The first Red cassettes are funny at stops with group rides. There is always someone who is telling you that a few teeth are broken off of your cassette. It seems Kulivontot has the luck he lives in a mountainous area. Where i live, the biggest climb is 40 meters. I promise you, the 11 on my RED cassette sees no use. I'd rather see Sram makes cassette options with a 12 and maybe even bigger. As long as they put a 16 in it everybody is a winner.I'm using Red cassettes because they don't eat my freehub body, because they are light and because they actually shift right.

99% of cross bikes are pretty much indistinguishable from road bikes (in the transmission department) so there is no reason why it won't work.FWIW, a friend of mine runs red with a 50/36 and 12/27, no issues.Can't tell you if its loud or not, as i don't know how loud a standard red driveline is.

Why in the world would anybody ever prefer a 12T to 11T? I've never heard anybody complain about having too hard of a gear while going downhill, but I've definitely had guys get dropped because of the 53x12.

I don't know about that. I have been riding a lot of years in Utah, with pretty steep mountains, and I have been dropped lots of times because I felt like I didn't have low enough gears, but I don't think I've ever been dropped on a descent or because I didn't have tall enough gears. It seems like I can always get another 3% on cadence when absolutely needed, and when going that fast the draft tends to suck you along pretty good. And I use I 50 x 12.

I think I got "dangerously" close to spun out and dropped once last year, but it is so rare, that is why I noticed it! But I am an amateur (Cat 3) so maybe higher cats or pros need them.

Have you considered an Ultegra cassette? They come in 12-27, 13-25, 14-25, 15-25 and 16-27...I used to live in Flanders which has some nice hills. I attacked all of those with my 53/42 & 12-23 gearing. But that was back in the days when I was racing.Now that I live in a very flat region and have rheumatoid arthritis I have moved to a 50/34 & 14-25 gearing. If I ever wear out the 50, I'll probably replace it with a 48...So I definately understand the OP need for a more 'easy' gearing.

I don't think I've ever been dropped on a descent or because I didn't have tall enough gears. It seems like I can always get another 3% on cadence when absolutely needed, and when going that fast the draft tends to suck you along pretty good. And I use I 50 x 12.

I use 50x12 most of the time. Most of the descents I do are technical enough that speed is determined by descending skill. On the ones where drafting is useful, I can spin it fast enough for long enough to get a wheel.

I have done a few races where 50x12 isn't enough. One has a ~5 mile section of slight down hill with a stiff tail wind. Drafting isn't much help and I can't spin 120 rpm for that long. If the wind is strong 50x11 is difficult.

Another has very long straight fast descents. On the less steep parts I want a high gear to get in the draft.

Leaving off the 11t means less of a gap elsewhere. Usually it's a 16t. Without it there's a large gap between the 15t and 17t which can be annoying.

But everyone has different needs and wants, which is why they make more than one cassette.

I use DA and Ultegra cassettes on my Sram bike. They shift better, run quieter and last longer than 1070 cassettes.

If you need a 28+T cog to climb steep hills, then you've already got some pretty horrible shifting gaps, I don't see how having a 15-17 shift is really going to wreck your day. At the same time, if it's that steep, you're going to be even more likely to spin out on the downhill. If you're talking compact cranks in addition, it just becomes that much easier to spin out an 11T. And finally, if you lack the fitness to absolutely never spin out a 50x12, then are you really going to notice the 50g of using a force cassette?

tldr;Honestly, how many people race on the road and are like "Ugh, this freaking 11T?"

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